


permanent

by spaace



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), M/M, Soul Mate AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-07 20:42:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12240303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaace/pseuds/spaace
Summary: every soul mate in derry, maine has a matching tattoo





	1. Chapter 1

“what the fuck is it even suppose to be?” richie asked, extending his leg as far as it could reach the sky. he squinted with one eye as he looked up, inspecting the little mark on his ankle. he bounced around a little on his standing leg before leaning on bill for support. bill looked up at richie’s leg, too.

“that’s a rain drop.” bill said simply. so it’s a rain drop.

“could you put your leg down?” stan sneered.

richie did as instructed. he’s still leaning against bill, his hand gripping his friend’s shoulder as he lifted his leg again. bill and him looked at it a little while longer, before richie signed and put his foot down. he’ll never know what it was until he had the matching piece.

he scrunched his nose in frustration, adjusting his glasses. “this isn’t even fair. who’s gonna have a fucking rain drop tattoo? not everyone has it easy, like you two,”

bill and stan grinned at each other. the two boys had half a circle that became whole when their forearms touched. fucking priceless, richie thought, for his friends to have it that easy.

“well, maybe they don’t have to touch like mine and bill’s,” stan assured, he and bill hopping on their bikes.

richie rolled his eyes as he watched his friends ride off. “yeah, thanks for nothing!” he called out to them. bill waved back at him before turning the street corner.

it’s not that he didn’t think he had a soul mate, that would be foolish. didn’t everyone? but if it wasn’t stan or bill, or that hot amanda from his third period class, who could it be? and what was really bothering him, was how long would it take to find them? stan and bill have been inseparable for fucking ever. richie wanted something sort of like that, too. he wanted to lean over his soul mate against the lockers during passing period and ride bikes with them, too.

these thoughts rattled around in his mind through out the days of the week. while bored in english class, while picking at his school lunch, especially while hanging out with stan and bill. he was not jealous of his friends, he just wished he could join in on the fun and maybe bring his soul mate along for a double date, sometime.

he’s thought about this while walking home a couple of times, pushing his bike alongside him. but never has his deep thinking made him obliviously bump into someone before.

“fuck, shit - i’m sorry, man,” his bike slammed to the ground by him. richie kneeled down on one knee, scrambling to help the boy pick up his paper work. the kid seemed annoyed, muttering something under his breath as he grabbed his books. maybe he was in a hurry, richie thought.

he was going to apologize, he really was, but when he made eye contact with the boy, something else came out of his mouth. “hey, i recognize you. gym class, huh?” richie grinned.

the boy was shorter than richie, and wasn’t much for team sports, but boy, could he run. he just said, “yeah,” simply, but didn’t walk away. maybe he was waiting for richie to say more? whatever reason he was hanging around, he was not in a hurry anymore. it was like a weird stand-off, neither boy moving for a few seconds. but felt like an awkward life time. richie knew if this was a challenge of some sort, that he would win. he could stay outside, standing on this leaf strewn sidewalk all day. the weather was great, and his parents probably weren’t expecting him for a couple of hours or so, anyways.

richie scratched the back of his neck, deciding to give him a break. he really didn’t want to totally annihilate the kid at whatever game they were suppose to be playing. “hey,” he began, “do you have one of those… tattoos?” curiosity got the better of him, what could he say? plus, the boy didn’t have any markings on any visible skin. richie didn’t really think for a moment that the two boys were actual soul mates, but he could never be too sure.

the boy scoffed, small, amused smile on his lips. “doesn’t everyone?” he wasn’t wrong.  
“what’s yours of?” richie asked,

and the boy answered, “what’s it to you?” clutching the books closer to his chest.

there was another small silence, before the alarm on the boy’s watch began to beep. “look, i have to go.” and just like that, he was gone.

riding back to his house, richie couldn’t help but laugh at how strange the encounter was. but maybe the kid was just weird? he didn’t talk to much in gym, or at least not to richie. but that was irrelevant, really. he had more important things to think of.


	2. Chapter 2

the weeks passed, and richie has turned his concerns to something else. school got a lot more difficult, and he needed to focus on that. richie was a very bright kid, but he was antsy. he understood the class work quicker than anyone else, sometimes turning in assignments minutes after the teacher handed them out. but the rest of the class period, he bounced his leg and tapped his pen and fidgeted with the corner of his textbook. he needed to learn how to focus.

not only was his attention disorder kicking his ass lately, but the soul mate hunt was turning to shit. he tried to replay the 'bumping-into-knocking-books-over' thing with amanda, but was only disappointed to notice a heart-shaped locket on the inside of her wrist. he knew that not all tattoos were half shapes, but that they were always matching somehow. like ben's and beverly's - the sun and the moon. 

after the devastating incident, he turned his focus to his school work. stan said it was a good idea, and the two have had study dates since then. stan was very organized, and normally knew how to manage his time well, but today was an exception. richie and stan have stood outside, leaning against this tree in the student parking lot for what seemed to be ages.

"what are we waiting for, again? can't we just walk to your house?" richie insisted, crunching a brown leaf with his heel.

"we're waiting for bill. he drove the car to school today, remember?" stan replied, crunching a leaf too. that's right, he did drive to school today. richie loved riding around with the windows down with his friends, how did he forget?

richie laughed, pushing his friend. "quit it, asshole, these are my leaves." he jumped around in the pile under the tree for a second, kicking the leaves around. "his mom let him borrow the car? that probably gets you all hot and bothered, huh, stan?"

he rolled his eyes, but richie could notice he blush on his face. stan stood up tall from where he was once leaning against the tree. "shut up, idiot, he's coming."

it was definitely bill turning the corner of the school building, but he had a friend with him. it was the boy who didn't have the best grip on his books, still in his red gym shorts from presumably the class period before. the two boys were standing in front of each other now, and richie was sure he was trying to size him up, but he was a lot taller than the boy.

"you're friends with him?" they all asked in unison. the boy to bill, bill to richie, richie to stan, stan to mystery boy.

"yeah," richie grinned, taking this perfect advantage to play a joke on his friends. maybe their first encounter was a little awkward, but richie thought, if his friends knew the kid, he couldn't be half bad. hell, maybe he could take a joke or two. he threw an arm over his shoulder and leaned down to press kisses all over the boy's hair. "carried his books last week, ain't that right, lover boy?" 

stan and bill looked at each other.

"gross!" the boy scoffed, failing to pull away from richie, running a hand through his hair, "is not!" 

"this kid?" richie began, "derry, maine's future best track star, right here! we have gym class together!" 

he rolled his eyes, still in richie's grip, looking up at bill. "this is the guy who pushed me over last week."

"pushed you over? it was an accident!" richie yelled, letting go of the boy. he actually felt bad. he really hopes he wasn't going around school halls telling people richie tozier knocked him over, because that would really suck. he was going to drop to his knees and start apologizing, pretty soon.

"well, you're so tall and big, you basically knocked me over!" the guy said, throwing his hands up. richie felt so guilty, before he saw a smile stretch across his face and got the hint.

"it's not my fault you're so fucking short!" richie yelled, gesturing to him, " i didn't even see you while i was walking," he grinned, breaking character to laugh.

bill grinned, too. he was glad to see the boys were getting along. him and his friend had math class together, and he never got a chance to spend any time with him outside of school. richie really liked this kid, he was small but full of spunk. he's always wanted a friend he could go back and forth with, who could put up with his shit. the group was walking towards bill's car now, and he decided to introduce his friend, "this is ed-eddie," 

richie turned, walking backwards now. "eddie?" he snorted, suppressing laughter, and punched stan's shoulder. "you can't be serious. like eddie spaghetti?"

"do not call me that," eddie said in a strict tone, but richie noticed that soft smile again that said otherwise.

richie smirked, "what are you gonna do about it?"

stan cleared his throat to get the boys' attention, breaking up the little back and forth session. 

richie looked towards stan, who was pointing ahead of the boys. they were approaching bill's car. "oh sweet - shot-gun!" he ran to the car, dropping his book bag in the process.

his friends followed behind him, bill picking up richie's bag. "no fair," stan groaned, "i'm his boyfriend, remember? why can't i sit in the front seat?" the question was for richie, but he was definitely looking in bill's direction, wanting his boyfriend to speak up.

bill shrugged, "he said shot-gun. s-suh-sorry, babe." 

"come on, you get to kiss this face daily-," richie began, grabbing bill's face between his fingers, squishing his cheeks together to get a set of kissy lips from the boy. "-and i don't. can't i sit in the front seat every once in a while?"

bill pushed richie away playfully, going to unlock the door.

"the ride's not that long, huh?" eddie asked, reassuring stan it couldn't be that bad with a smile, "there's more room in the back anyways!"

richie overheard, "that's because you're short,"

"are you always like this?" he asked, him and stan getting into the back seat. 

"maybe if you didn't talk so loud!" richie grinned, elbowing bill.

it's almost like bill knew richie would be occupying his passenger seat that afternoon, because when he cranked up his car, the cd player began playing one of richie's favorite songs. "i love the cure!" he announced, tapping against the dashboard in beat with the music.

bill loved the cure, too, but stan was more of a smiths guy. 

"are you gonna pretend to play the drums the whole time?" eddie asked, leaning forward so he was between bill and richie.

richie turned his head, "what? you don't like it, eds?"

"eds?" stan asked, leaning forward to. now in line with bill, eddie, and richie.

"yeah, it's my nick name for him," richie smiled, still tapping. "you like it?"

bill and stan eyed each other, making conversation from the driver seat to the back seat. bill's eyes were shiny and hopeful, speaking 'they're getting along! they like each other!'

eddie leaned back against the seat. "don't call me that," he said simply, crossing his arms. stan's eyes looked up at his boyfriend with piercing eyes, 'or maybe eddie hates him,'

the car ride was quick and silent between the boys, so the music did wonders saving them from awkwardness. when they arrived, after parking in bill's drive way, richie assured eddie he wouldn't bother him while they were studying, and he kept to his promise. richie needed to focus, too, and there was always more time to pick on his new friend.

but he noticed little things about him, out of the corner of his eye. he wasn't fidgety like richie or bill, who bounces his leg while studying. and he wasn't quiet and serious while studying, like stan, either. he would laugh under his breath and scribble out the incorrect answer with his pen, tongue slightly sticking out of his mouth with his eyebrows pulled together as he thought.

after the study session, richie hiked his book bag on his back and said goodbye to bill, until tomorrow. he noticed eddie was too far ahead, and jogged to catch up with him. "hey, eds," he grinned, and this time, the boy didn't tell him to not call him that.

he didn't look towards richie at all, only ahead. "what do you want?" eddie asked.

"you live this way?" richie asked, walking alongside eddie now. the day was dark, orange sun setting in the distance and the street lamps illuminated the sidewalks. eddie nodded, pointing ahead to his house down the street. 

they had just enough time before they reached eddie's house to squeeze in a conversation on how the boys knew stan and bill, and their favorite school subjects. eddie walked up the steps to his front door, and turned around when richie called out to him.

"i'll see ya around?" eddie nodded, waving goodbye. richie thought it was a silly question, of course they would see each other around. now that all four boys knew each other, he knew there wouldn't just be future study sessions in the future, but maybe they could all catch a movie sometime. but he just needed to ask, to be assured. he wasn't too sure why he felt this way about eddie, just meeting the boy formally and all this afternoon. but, he felt like he was important - like he would be their official fourth member - like he was going to be permanent.


	3. Chapter 3

eddie fit right into the group, and he became their fourth member very quickly. bill and him were friends beforehand, the two bonded over comic books and science fiction movies, and passed notebook cheat sheets to each other during math tests. bill was glad he introduced his long time friend to stan and richie, he was so impressed by how the boys were getting along, after just a week or so of knowing each other. 

now, eddie has two new friends. stan liked eddie's company, inviting him early in the mornings to bird watch from tall branches, and get lunch with him and bill in the afternoons. but who really loved having eddie around, was richie.

the two clicked and it felt like they were inseparable. when stan and bill were busy, denying richie's requests to hang out, too busy with whatever soul mates occupied their time with, there was eddie. eddie was always free, it seemed, to ride around empty streets or sit on richie's handlebars when he didn't want to ride his own bike that day. they drank slushies under shady trees and could bicker back and forth over which flavor was better, orange creamsicle or blueraspberry, but all in good fun. 

they also challenged each other to the silliest things, like who could cheer louder at stan's baseball games, or who could finish their ice cream cone first. richie always had a good time with eddie, with stan and bill, or by themselves. so it was no doubt in richie's mind that he would invite the boy over to hang out today.

richie turned the corner of the hall, and saw eddie walking aswell. he snaked between groups of girls with their books clutched to the chest to sneak up on his friend, placing his hands over eddie's eyes from behind him. "guess who?" 

the two continued to walk, eddie having no trouble as richie was behind him, steering him in the right direction. "i don't know, who has a shittier accent than richie tozier?"

"wow," richie tried his best to sound offended, removing his hands from eddie's face to walk besides him. "you really think my accent's bad?" he asked, with his accent.

"yeah, it's pretty bad, richard." eddie assured him with a cocky smile.

richie laughed, "richard? okay, i see what you're doing. sorry, edward."

the hall the boys were in was less crowded than the one before, so eddie didn't feel bad when he stopped in his tracks and turned to richie. he had a straight face when he said, "do not call me that," but richie knew he could make the boy smile.

"or what, edward?" he smirked, and could see the corners of eddie's mouth turn upwards, too. before eddie could even spit out some soft of smart comeback, richie grabbed the smaller boy and tossed him over his shoulder. "you can't tell me what to do up there!"

eddie's laughing, he can't even deny it. but he's pounding his fists into richie's back, kicking his feet as richie spins around in dizzy circles, "put me down, richie!" 

"fine, fine," richie agreed, setting his friend down. eddie's face had some soft of mixed emotion, between annoyed and amused, and it made richie grin. "look, i'm sorry. i just wanted to let you know-"

"that your parents are out of town and we're going to watch movies at your place tonight?" eddie asked, adjusting his book bag strap. "yeah, i knew already."

"stan told you?" richie asked, the boys continuing their walk.

eddie shook his head, like maybe he was going to correct richie and tell him that bill invited him instead. but he stood in front of his third period class, and looked up to richie. "i can tell the future."

richie snorted, pushing eddie's shoulder, and they both laughed. "i'll see you later then?"

"yeah, count on it." eddie assured, before entering class  
school went smoothly for all of the boys the rest of the day and afterwards, stan and bill walked to richie's, bringing along eddie, of course. there was no need to ring the bell, or even alert richie that they have arrived, because bill knows where richie keeps the spare house key. stan and bill made themselves at home, tossing their book bags on the floor and headed inside. the two boys made their way to the kitchen, but eddie took his time. he admired framed pictures on the wall by the door, photographs of baby richie and christmas moments.

"i was born cute, wasn't i?" richie surprised eddie, throwing an arm around his shoulder. 

eddie rolled his eyes, looking up at richie. "yeah, adorable." he answered, in a monotone voice.

"just like you." richie grinned, pinching eddie's cheek. eddie slapped his hand away, like he always does

"welcome to casa de tozier," he welcomed his friend, motioning to his living room with his free hand. but eddie was not paying attention. but was still looking at the pictures on the wall, fingers grazing frames as he read the imprinted words.

richie could hear stan in the kitchen, "wow, is richie finally passing spanish?"

"hey eddie, c-cuh-come help me make some popcorn, yeah?" bill called out to help. eddie slipped out from under richie's arm, and richie decided to start picking out the long list of movies they would watch that night. the bent down to shuffle through the large cardboard box of VHS movies, tossing the chosen ones aside.

he was almost at the bottom of the box, when he looked up. richie saw bill and eddie scanning the back of the popcorn bag, like they were looking for instructions, like they have never made microwaveable popcorn before. he laughed to himself, shaking his head. 

he thought to himself, how weeks ago when he originally met eddie, there was no way bill or stan could tell him that all four would be having a movie marathon tonight. richie's first impression of eddie was not so good, it seemed like the boy didn't want anything to do with him. and as it wasn't awkward enough, richie just had to ask about his tattoo. the thoughts of finding his soul mate weren't so significant now that life's gotten a little busier, but he was still curious about eddie. during the time they boys have hung out, he still hasn't seen it. eddie was still wearing what he wore to school that day, a sweater and overalls, and he couldn't see any ink peeking out of the sleeves or cuffed jeans. 

"isn't he the best?" stan snapped richie out of his thoughts. he turned to stan, who's attention wasn't on him at all. stan's hands were propped under his chin as he watched his boyfriend play the drums with plastic spoons on the back of a pot in the kitchen, to the tune of the popcorn popping away.

richie was sure he wasn't speaking of eddie, but just to make sure, he asked, "who, bill?"  
"yeah, bill," stan scoffed, turning to richie. "who did you think i was talking about? eddie?"

richie scoffed louder, imitating his friend, "bill's a moron. tone deaf, too, can't play the drums to save his life!"

"i heard that, trash mouth!" bill fought back, now coming from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn. 

eddie laughed, trailing behind bill. he looked down at richie who was still on the carpet, sorting through tonight's movies. "trash mouth?"

"yeah, you know everyone's got a nickname around here." richie looked up at eddie, squinting at him as he adjusted his glasses. he then pulled eddie by the pants leg, "get down here and help me pick a movie, eddie spaghetti."

richie shoved a VHS in and the boys passed around the bowl of popcorn. eddie and richie couldn't help but bother each other throughout the films, flicking each other in the ear when less expecting it, and getting hushed by bill and stan. by midnight, the boys were able to sit through four movies, all of richie's choosing. he was feeling a little generous when he let stan pick the current movie he was watching, footloose, but regretted it as soon as bill and stan fell asleep. stan's head was resting on bill's chest, bill's head resting on top of stan's and there arms were intertwined, circle complete.

"so, do they end up together?" richie asked out loud, shoving a hand full of popcorn in his mouth. he received no answer.

"hey, eds?" he turned to his left.

eddie was curled, his knees pressed to his chest. his curls were disheveled, hanging in his face, and the tv flickered against him as he slept. richie's question was going to be left unanswered tonight.


End file.
